Origins
by somanyfeelings
Summary: "For someone who works for Superheroes-R-Us, you've got a pretty lame origin story. We're going to work on that." Skimmons
1. Chapter 1

The conversation starts the way most of their conversations do: with a half questionable, half existential, and totally out of the blue remark by Skye. Jemma's peering gently into a microscope when the other girl asks about her childhood. Or, more specifically, her "origin story."

"What do you mean by that?" Jemma replies, the beginnings of a grin tugging on her lips. It's so totally Skye, and she looks up for just long enough to raise one eyebrow in amusement before looking back down. Skye, on the other hand, wears an expression of mock confusion, as if Jemma's question were the most perplexing thing in the world.

"Superheroes have origin stories," Skye states like it's utterly obvious, though her smirk says otherwise. "You're a member of SHIELD, which basically means you're a superhero or as close as I'm ever going to get to one." She pretends to pout at that notion until she realizes Jemma is no longer looking toward her, and her easy grin returns instead. "Anyway, origin stories. What's yours?"

The scientist complies and begins to speak about her childhood. It was nothing special, she says: middle class family, only child, white picket fence, stereotypically happy. Jemma is too absorbed in both her work and her talking to notice the grimace that flashes across Skye's face at the casual way the scientist speaks about her joyful family. But it's gone as soon as it had arrived, and Skye returns to listening. Her question was genuine; she finds Jemma and her life fascinating. Normal. And she's never going to get tired of the way Jemma's eyes light up when she's excited and the way her voice raises and speeds up just a touch.

Jemma continues by admitting she skipped several grades in school and had finished her college degree and advanced training in record time. Because of this, she notes ruefully, "There was never much time for an origin story for just Jemma, because all of it was spent on Jemma the scientist. I'm afraid I'm not all that interesting in the end."

Skye scoffs and reaches over to punch Jemma's shoulder lightly, drawing her attention again, and jokes, "For someone who works for Superheroes-R-Us, you've got a pretty lame origin story. We're going to work on that."

Jemma sends her a questioning glance, but this time Skye doesn't answer. Instead, she shrugs mysteriously and stands to leave the lab.

Skye shows up at Jemma's bunk later that evening, knocking twice and walking in without waiting for an answer. She's not exactly subtle, stubbing her toe on the edge of the door and swearing loudly. Jemma looks up from the book she held to see a wide grin on Skye's face and a pair of car keys dangling from her hand.

"C'mon," Skye announces without preamble. "We're going for a ride." With that she reaches forward and takes the book from Jemma's hands, plopping it on her bed and taking the girl's hand herself instead. Jemma notices that Skye's hand are cold but soft, and her brow furrows slightly at the thought.

It's so sudden and Jemma's so completely confused that she follows instinctively until they reach the hanger and she sees what's going on. "Nuh-uh. Coulson's going to kill us if we take Lola."

Skye simply shrugs and hops in, and the invitingly hopeful tilt of her head convinces Jemma to join her. She knows they shouldn't, but there's surprisingly no guilt; there was something about Skye that made her want to be just a bit of a rebel. It's half exasperation and half affection, but Jemma is beginning to realize that she quite enjoys spending time with Skye. With the others there's an expectation to be smart and composed, to be SHIELD Agent Simmons, yet Skye pushes her to be Jemma, and it's not an unwelcome change.

The engine revs and they're out of the vicinity of the plane in no time. Only then does Jemma speak again to wonder, "So where exactly are you taking me?"

"To find an origin story."

It doesn't answer her question at all, but it sets Jemma thinking once more. And it's such a Skye thing to do that Jemma can't help but find it endearing. While she ponders this, the other girl adds, "We're just going for a ride. Let down your hair, enjoy yourself." And she takes her own advice literally, reaching over with one hand to tug the hair tie from Jemma's hair so it blows back with the wind.

The way Skye's smiling makes her eyes scrunch just a tiny bit, and this realization sends a wave of butterflies into Jemma's stomach, and she can't help but wonder what's been happening to her lately.

They're quite the pair, Skye in her aviator sunglasses and leather jacket and Jemma in a blouse with squinted eyes - she had lost her sunglasses months ago - riding in a vintage, tomato red car. That strangeness of it all just makes it better somehow, and Jemma finds herself eagerly looking around at their surrounding.

They're driving fast enough that the air dulls their ability to hear, so Skye shouts, "See? Origin story," and Jemma simply smiles. It's more fun than she would've expected, just driving. She hadn't realized how pretty it was here, given that they'd been largely confined to the bus.

Jemma wonders if this is what she had missed, if Skye had spent her teenage years driving around with her hair blowing in the wind and her thoughts fading away with the passing scenery. But that thought fades quickly too because she's doing it now, and late is better than never especially when she's got someone like Skye on her side.

Their silence is comfortable but Skye still flips on the radio, so they begin to sing along to whatever comes on. And by the time they get back to see an amusedly peeved Coulson standing in the hanger with his arms crossed, their voices are hoarse.

"What were you doing?" he questions.

Jemma speaks before Skye can even open her mouth. "I needed an origin story."

* * *

_This is probably going to be three chapters or so, and I'd love love love for you to tell me what you think! :)_


	2. Chapter 2

"Jemma, are you awake? Wake up. We're going shopping," Skye calls over the noise of her knocking.

Jemma's been awake for a while, though she hasn't yet made the effort to actually get out of bed. The better question is why Skye is awake as well. It's surprising they ever saw each other given their sleep schedules: Jemma tends go to bed as early as possible in order to wake with the sun, whereas Skye is more prone to sleeping at sunrise and waking in time for the sky to darken. Yet it's early enough that the bus is still quiet, except for Skye.

When she doesn't answer, Skye repeats herself. "Jem. Shopping." Very few people call Jemma by her first name at all, much less a nickname, but she finds she rather likes it.

The door slowly peels open to reveal a disheveled Skye holding one empty and one newly steaming cup of coffee - likely how she coaxed herself awake at this hour, Jemma figures - and both girls smile groggily.

"Shopping?" Jemma asks, "And Jem?" In response to both questions Skye simply nods. So Jemma dresses and grabs a muffin from the counter and goes to look around for Skye, and soon enough they're driving away - to Jemma's immense relief, it's not in Lola this time.

"Now, why exactly are we going shopping?"

"Because you need a dress." Skye's vagueness is infuriating, and Jemma turns to throw a halfhearted glare her way.

"I own dresses," Jemma notes indignantly, and Skye shakes her head.

"Dresses to go out to a club in?"

Jemma acknowledges the truth of the statement with silence before the meaning sinks in. "Wait," she sputters. "A club?"

Skye looks adorable when she's smug, Jemma notes: she's grinning cheekily and her eyes shine with pride. She bites her lower lip as if she wants to say more but knows she can't and remains silent until they arrive at the mall, though Jemma continues to prod with exclamations of "A club. Really?" every minute or so.

Skye picks up a dress that contains a good nine inches less fabric that Jemma was comfortable with - in fact, she's fairly certain it's meant to be a shirt - and looks at it in consideration. "Nah."

Jemma has no idea what she's meant to be doing, so she starts to examine a couple of dresses of her own.

"That one!" Skye all but yells, and Jemma turns to her, startled.

"What?"

"That one you're holding, the blue one. Get that one." She pauses for a beat, barely enough time to be noticeable. "You look good in blue. You always look good, but you especially look good in blue."

Jemma's too flustered to think straight, so she nods and goes to buy the dress.

She spends more time than she'd like to admit getting ready, putting on the lip gloss and mascara she rarely has the opportunity to use. Skye's done the same, and Jemma has to admit that the girl looks fantastic in her glittery purple dress.

And it's sitting there just looking at the girl before her that Jemma finally realizes the depth of the affection for her.

They were friends, best friends, in a way that Jemma hadn't found since Fitz. And Skye held no expectations, made no assumptions about Jemma and how she needed to act. With everyone else in SHIELD - everyone from her mentor to the rest of the team and even Fitz - there was a need to maintain some level of decorum or such. But Skye would come to her to talk about boys and TV and eat ice cream because, as she said, "I never had a BFF or whatever the acronym is, and Pikachu I choose you."

Yet this isn't friendship, or at least not only. This isn't just recognition of Skye's attractiveness but a desire to tell her how gorgeous she looks, to touch her curled hair and see if it's as smooth as it looks, to press her smooth palm against Skye's rougher palm and never let go.

But instead of doing any of that Jemma nearly runs toward the hanger and calls behind her, "We're, uh, going to be late!"

Skye's brow furrows in confusion and something like awareness, and she quickly follows and grabs Jemma's arm to stop her.

"If you don't want to do this, it's okay," Skye offers. "Like, really. I thought it would be fun, but it's not a big deal if you want to chill here and watch Disney movies instead."

Jemma's eyes widen as she realizes that Skye has taken her and embarrassment reluctance, and she shakes her head and backtracks quickly. "No, no, I want to. I'm just, well, nervous, I guess." Skye looks at her without speaking, reading her gaze to test the genuineness of her words.

As she stares, Jemma notices how they're standing. With Skye's hand still gripping her arm, they're standing incredibly close. She would barely have to lean forward to press her lips against, and before she has any idea what she's thinking she does exactly that.

The shock of Skye's lips against her own brings Jemma back to her senses, and there's a vague recognition of the sweetness of her lip gloss before she pulls away.

"I-I'm sorry, I-" Jemma stammers, painfully aware of her burning cheeks. "I'm so sorry."

Skye looks at her like she's crazy. "Why are you sorry?"

"Because I just kissed you," Jemma answers, and it comes out as more of a question than a statement.

"Yeah," Skye laughs. "You did. But you don't have to apologize." To prove her point Skye leans in and just barely touches her lips to Jemma's warm cheek.

Jemma's mouth opens in a silent "oh," and she tilts her head and asks, "But you.. What? I thought... Are we still friends, or does this change that?"

"We're friends forever," Skye declares, and she holds out her pinky for a promise. "You're my best friend, but I- You really didn't notice? How I feel, I mean." She can't help but grin at the obvious answer. "You already had a good origin story. You're already my superhero. This was my way of taking you places with me in the hopes that you'd maybe end up feeling the same."

This admission loosens the tension in Jemma's stomach, and she feels herself returning the smile. She does feel the same ten times over, but she still has to disagree. "No," Jemma says, and panic flashes briefly across Skye's face. "My origin story's not done yet."

And she leans forward to kiss Skye again, and again, and when Skye grasps her hips and begins to steer her toward her bunk neither of them complains.

* * *

_Roses are red,_

_Violets are blue,_

_If you review_

_Then I'll love you!_


	3. Chapter 3

Skye is asleep soundly when the alarm goes. And then she's not, because the Bill Nye the Science Guy theme song is blaring in her ear and her eyes jolt open.

"Wha-" she starts, recognition dawning on her. Jemma, somehow, has managed thus far to continue sleeping, which, Skye realizes, might have something to do with the extraordinary volume of that damn song.

(Skye herself is usually a deep sleeper, but the phone's location only inches away from her ear would be enough to wake anyone.)

And so, after pulling the blanket back over her shoulders and turning to cuddle closer to Jemma, Skye begins to grin.

Their legs are still tangled, feet pressed together and bodies warm. She reaches up to play with Jemma's messy hair, to twirl it in her fingers like she had the previous night. It was remarkably soft, smooth between her fingers.

Her actions - and the quiet sigh that follows them - makes Jemma stir. Her eyes peel open slowly, and she offers a groggy, "Hi."

"Hey you," Skye answers, suddenly keenly aware of her fingers, her messy hair, everything. She goes to slide her hands away, to put some space in between them because she doesn't know what else to do, but Jemma stops her by leaning forward to kiss her gently.

"You didn't wake me up," Jemma teases. "You're always knocking on my door to wake me up, but the one time you're actually in here with me you don't."

Skye smirks and tries to shrug, but the movement is hampered by her position next to Jemma. "The one time?" she asks instead.

"Okay, the first time."

Skye is much more satisfied by that answer.

Because she's so satisfied and because she's still not entirely sure what to do with herself and because she wants to, Skye leans in to give Jemma another kiss or ten.

They might be awake, but neither gets out of bed for a good while longer.

And when they do it's because Jemma's stomach is growling, but they don't make it very far into the kitchen before Jemma's back is pressed against the counter and they're repeating the previous night - and that morning - all over again.

Skye's hands grip Jemma's waist, barely raising the hemline of her shirt to feel the warmth of her skin underneath. And Jemma is leaning back, holding the counter with one hand and toying with Skye's sleeve with the other.

They're in about as compromising a position as they could manage without removing any clothing, yet being caught or being seen was the furthest thing from either of their minds.

So it's completely understandable to them that it takes a good twenty minutes to make toast and slather it with peanut butter, after which Jemma drags Skye with her into Coulson's office.

"Sir?" Jemma starts, right as Skye goes, "Yo, AC."

Coulson breathes a quiet laugh and shakes his head, not sure which girl to address. Though he's noticed that, as of late, addressing one usually meant garnering the attention of the other. "What's up?"

Skye opens her mouth to answer and belatedly realizes that she doesn't actually know; she simply followed Jemma, never thinking to ask what was actually going on.

So she's surprised as Coulson when Jemma announces, "We'd like to take Lola for a ride."

He sighs and wonders when his job transitioned from secret agent to dad, and he gestures for them to have a seat.

"Where are you taking Lola?" Coulson asks, and Skye has to stifle a giggle at the realization that it's his sacred car that he's worried about.

"Out," Jemma replies.

"Out where?"

They're getting nowhere, so Skye jumps in. "We won't, like, smash Lola into a million pieces. I swear." The cheeky grin on her face should probably be a warning sign, but it's also oddly endearing.

There's a beat of silence, and then Coulson hands over the keys. "I'm not even going to ask."

He stays true to his word: he doesn't ask when Jemma grins giddily and takes Skye's hand and tugs her out of the office door, and he doesn't ask when they return several hours later with windswept hair and even brighter smiles, and he especially doesn't ask the next day when Skye leaves Jemma's bunk looking awfully disheveled with her shirt accidentally on backwards.

But, over the next week, Coulson finds each of them alone - that's quite a feat in and of itself, he thinks - and looks them in the eyes. "Don't you dare hurt her," he speaks, raising his eyebrows in warning. "And don't you dare do, uh, whatever you're doing... Don't you dare do it in Lola."


End file.
